Southern California is bracing for another round of rain Friday after several days of heavy downpours that have already triggered flooding, evacuations, and travel disruptions across the region.
Forecasters said a new wave of precipitation arrived Thursday night and will continue through Friday afternoon, dropping about an inch of rain in Los Angeles and up to two inches in nearby mountain areas. The National Weather Service warned of a moderate risk of excessive rainfall, noting that even small amounts could worsen flooding in already saturated ground.
Los Angeles County remains under a flood advisory, while Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo Counties are under a flood watch. Evacuation orders for burn-scar areas in Los Angeles County were extended through early Friday, with Mayor Karen Bass cautioning that residents near wildfire zones may need to leave if conditions deteriorate.
Elsewhere, the Sierra Nevada is under a winter storm warning, with several feet of snow expected and avalanche alerts issued for Mammoth Mountain and Lake Tahoe. Wrightwood, a ski town in San Bernardino County, has been among the hardest hit, facing extended power outages after midweek storms.
The rainfall adds to what has already been record-setting holiday weather. Downtown Los Angeles logged 2.59 inches of rain through midday Thursday, marking the wettest Christmas Eve and Christmas Day period since 1971.
Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in multiple counties, including Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Riverside, and Shasta, as flooding forced residents into shelters and disrupted holiday travel. Tragically, in San Diego, a falling tree branch killed one person during the storm.
The storms are fueled by atmospheric rivers—massive plumes of ocean moisture—that have battered California for a week. Scientists note that climate change is intensifying such events, as warmer air holds more water, increasing the likelihood of extreme rainfall and flooding.
